Topic: Winterizing the bike!

[Dos]

Hey guys, just getting ready to winterize my bike and go for my last couple of rides, seems to be getting colder each day here.

I usually coat the bike in wd-40 and take the battery out and have it on it’s center stand but do you guys leave gas in with some additive? Or completely drain the tank out and let it sit empty?

I know to drain the carbs just don’t remember whether the tank should be emptied or not. I have coated it in the past with the metallic sealer( forgetting the name)

Thanks, would like to hear how you winterize your bike.
Is it too early!? Haha I’m in NJ

[Can550]

I add sea foam in gas tank, go for a short ride, turn the fuel petcock off before reaching home, remove battery and put it on centre stand. Throw a blanket (that I had bought few from u haul) and wait for spring. 


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[ekpent]

  Here in Michigan I don't really do too much. I pull the battery and keep it charged. I don't drain the gas out of the  tank or carbs or anything and find it usually picks up where I left off in the spring despite all the fuel horror stories out there. A friend of mine unclips/empties his float bowls on his 750 and lets them lay open on the engine case on his over the winter.

[Deltarider]

  Here in Michigan I don't really do too much. I pull the battery and keep it charged. I don't drain the gas out of the  tank or carbs or anything and find it usually picks up where I left off in the spring despite all the fuel horror stories out there. A friend of mine unclips/empties his float bowls on his 750 and lets them lay open on the engine case on his over the winter.

I agree with you. There are a lot of horror stories indeed. But, in spite of them, so far your experiences match mine. I do replenish the content of the floatchambers say every 2 months (I favour keeping them 'wet' during hibernation) but I seriously wonder if that replenishing is needed... So far never had a problem, not even after 7 months.

[Dos]

Yeah I usually just leave the gas in and drain carbs but for some reason my petcock leaked this season

[millla03]

My experience is similar to what others have mentioned. I put some fuel stabilizer in the tank to match what gas is in it, drain float bowls, and pull the battery. Had carbs off spring 2017 during engine rebuild, and they showed no corrosion or deposits from this practice. There have also been a couple winters I didn't bother to drain the float bowls, and it didn't seem to matter. I use Honda fuel line and Viton o-rings in the carbs, which have held up fine to regular E10 fuel.

Bike lives in heated garage with minimal temperature change, so corrosion from hot/cold cycles isn't much of a concern. Tank is also lined so rust isn't an issue, though fogging it or topping off before storage isn't a bad idea if it is unlined. A good cleaning and detail in the fall is always nice too, just to get road debris and dirt off the bike. Then you have a nice shiny ride to start the next season.

Drop battery in, turn on the gas, and it always fires right up in the spring after sitting for 3-4 months.

[PeWe]

I have my K6 in a warm garage, part of my house. Start it every 2 months or so, let it idle a minute or 2. Charge battery for 2-3 days every 2 months too. No risk it will rust.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

In my garage, I empty the tank and carb bowls or add Stabil and plug in my Battery Tender. It's that simple.

[Johnie]

In WI...bikes stored in my heated shop so no moisture issues. I put Stabil in the tank and take it for a ride. About a mile before I get home shut off the petcock. I do not pull the float bowls. The first of every month I put the Battery Tender on each bike. Come spring I open the petcock and ride them with no issues...ever. Works for me.

[Dos]

I don’t have a metal garage so it gets very very cold. Should I top the tank off with stabil/seafoam? Or just like half the tank?

[Deltarider]

Start it every 2 months or so, let it idle a minute or 2.

Not a good practice IMO. Two minutes of running - and then even idling, ouch! - is never enough to sufficiently warm up the engine and that as a consequence will lead to condens in the engine and I hate to think of what it does to the exhaust... If I were you I would suppress my desire to want to hear the engine run.

[PeWe]

Start it every 2 months or so, let it idle a minute or 2.

Not a good practice IMO. Two minutes of running - and then even idling, ouch! - is never enough to sufficiently warm up the engine and that as a consequence will lead to condens in the engine and I hate to think of what it does to the exhaust... If I were you I would suppress my desire to want to hear the engine run.

No problem in a WARM garage, 21-23C. Wintertime not that humid air either.
My bike has now a stainless exhaust so it will not rust. My old pipes did not rusted either, 4-1 from the 80's or later Yamiya 4-4.

Different thing if stored outdoors under a blanket or similar. Tank can start to rust inside and pipes too.
It might be worth it to take the bike indoors beside the TV 
Or check for a good storage place. Rent a warm dry place with other bikers.

Or check bike shops offering winter storage. It might be a risk if the bike shop will go bankruptcy, bank comes and take everything in the shop. It can take time until the owners get their bikes back if they can proove that they haven't sold bikes to the shop

[calj737]

I don’t have a metal garage so it gets very very cold. Should I top the tank off with stabil/seafoam? Or just like half the tank?

Only enough to treat the volume of gas. BUT, either store your tank completely full or completely empty. 1/2 full provides air space for evaporation that will rust the underside of the tank. Do run the motor with Stabil/SeaFoam to treat the fuel in the carbs/bowls. And spin the back tire every couple of weeks to prevent flat spotting it.

[Old Scrambler]

I stored my K3 in cold and damp storage for an entire year in Wisconsin with 110-race gas in the tank............started right up with the battery that I kept charged. Adapted the idea from friends with numerous bikes to store.  Fill a nearly empty tank and go for a ride. Leave the fuel in the bowls. This year my K3 is traveling with me.

[Pwrwagontom]

I've always left a full/fresh tank of gas, filled with stabilizer; this keeps moisture from accumulating in the empty tank.  I close the petcock and run it out of gas, then put it on center stand. 

[jlh3rd]

i've never heard of acid in wd 40. It's helps in removing rust,sure. But it's a water dispersant or displacement ,WD.....I've also never seen or read any directions on using wd 40 that say not to let it sit on chrome, metal, or painted surfaces....so it keeps water from reaching a metal surface, which is exactly what we're trying to do.

[Don R]

 A bike I bought at auction appeared nasty and pitted but I had a parts bike for it at home and bought it anyway. Later I wiped a turn signal off and it was beautiful under the accumulation of garage dirt, so I cleaned the entire bike. It had been coated with blue coral wax on the paint and WD40 on all of the chrome. There is still blue coral coming out from under the chrome edges but that bike is awesome and I didn't replace anything. If it had been prettier I might not have gotten it. Did I mention it's a sandcast?
 I left some hidden wax on the back of the front turn signals to remember the PO by. He loved his 750 to the end.
 

[Deltarider]

….remove the battery to inside temperatur …

Actually it's better to leave the battery in a cold place, provided it is well charged. The battery contains in fact a constant chemical proces and by storing the battery NOT warm, you slow down that proces, reducing the self discharge and so enhancing its lifetime.

[Stev-o]

Winterizing?   Riding season has just started down here!

Last weekend....

[Dos]

Yeah I’ve got acouple more rides to go

[Erny]

I'm actually in front of the same dilema.
I'll keep tank full of premium gas (100 octane Shell V Power Racing, with gas stabiliser), will empty carbs.

Bit wondering how to prevent rust on chrome parts and paint? And what about seat and rubber parts?
I can spray wd40 on chromed parts, but what for the rest?

I live in Europe, Slovakia, bike is kept in non-heated garage.

[calj737]

I'm actually in front of the same dilema.
I'll keep tank full of premium gas (100 octane Shell V Power Racing, with gas stabiliser), will empty carbs.

Bit wondering how to prevent rust on chrome parts and paint? And what about seat and rubber parts?
I can spray wd40 on chromed parts, but what for the rest?

I live in Europe, Slovakia, bike is kept in non-heated garage.

The seat and rubber parts shouldn’t rust, even in Slovakia 

[Erny]

You know what I wanted to ask - how to maintain them during winter, of course not due to corrosion

[jlh3rd]

wax the painted parts, put viny/rubber dressing on the appropriate parts. wd 40 on chrome and other metal parts,spokes,chain etc..
       i don't have a heated garage, i have a full zippered enclosure with a battery maintainer and a small portable heater,and a big open box of baking soda as an absorbent,.. all in a shed......
      it works for me..

[Deltarider]

... and a big open box of baking soda as an absorbent.. all in a shed......
      it works for me..

Really?? As long as the shed is not 100% sealed, it will attract more moist. I've used soda in the cabin of my yacht during hibernation, only to find more funghi the next spring...

[jlh3rd]

... and a big open box of baking soda as an absorbent.. all in a shed......
      it works for me..

Really?? As long as the shed is not 100% sealed, it will attract more moist. I've used soda in the cabin of my yacht during hibernation, only to find more funghi the next spring...

i guess....the baking soda is in the zippered enclosure but,no, it isn't airtight...however, i get my info from people like this, i don't make it up, it's not internet stories like the WD 40 is acidic comment.
     since I don't have two bikes I can't run an experiment. I'll stick with experts' opinions.

[calj737]

... and a big open box of baking soda as an absorbent.. all in a shed......
      it works for me..

Really?? As long as the shed is not 100% sealed, it will attract more moist. I've used soda in the cabin of my yacht during hibernation, only to find more funghi the next spring...

i guess....the baking soda is in the zippered enclosure but,no, it isn't airtight...however, i get my info from people like this, i don't make it up, it's not internet stories like the WD 40 is acidic comment.
     since I don't have two bikes I can't run an experiment. I'll stick with experts' opinions.

The challenge with zippered enclosures is condensation from temp swings. If the enclosure is kept out inside, you should be fine. Spread Kitty Litter inside on the floor of the bag instead. Baking Soda you need a LOT of. Kitty Litter is cheap, effective, and a deterrent to rodents also.

Expecting Baking Soda to keep a sailboat cabin dry over the winter is foolhardy. You'd need about 150kG of it spread throughout the cabin (area dependent) to be effective. And boat cabins aren't "airtight". If they are fully airtight, you'd need to vacate all moisture before sealing them up, else you're sealing that moisture inside. That's what is causing your mold, not the ineffectiveness of the Baking Soda.

Moist air subjected solar radiation turns to mold pretty darn quickly in a shaded environment, like a boat cabin. You'd be better off running a small dehumidifier from a small solar panel through the winter to help prevent mold and rot.

[jlh3rd]

kitty litter, makes sense to me, and cheap.....ok....understand, i run a small electric heater inside the zippered bike enclosure along with the battery maintainer...
      if i didn't have a girlfriend, the bike would be in my living room....

[calj737]

kitty litter, makes sense to me, and cheap.....ok....understand, i run a small electric heater inside the zippered bike enclosure along with the battery maintainer...
      if i didn't have a girlfriend, the bike would be in my living room....

The heater is not really needed, and a bit of a fire hazard. The zippered enclosure alone (with a desiccant) should be all you need.

[jlh3rd]

fire hazard.....do you mean because of fumes?......and i'm not debating, i'm asking...as i did think of that.....the heater has a tip over safety, modern circuitry uses electronic switches, not contacts that open and close creating sparks. and electric motors today are much smaller, better shielded. Also, the temp is kept around 60ish so vapor pressure temp is lower...........thoughts?

[calj737]

Electrical short, dessicant in proximity, possible fuel vapors, etc. Not worth the risk in my opinion, as the need isn't there. Plus, the cost of running a heater 24x7 for 100+ days... 

[Airborne 82nd]

kitty litter, makes sense to me, and cheap.....ok....understand, i run a small electric heater inside the zippered bike enclosure along with the battery maintainer...
      if i didn't have a girlfriend, the bike would be in my living room....

Put your bike in the living room. Get your priority's in order Put a cot in the zippered bike enclosure  JK

[Deltarider]

kitty litter, makes sense to me, and cheap.....ok....understand, i run a small electric heater inside the zippered bike enclosure along with the battery maintainer...
      if i didn't have a girlfriend, the bike would be in my living room....

Put your bike in the living room. Get your priority's in order Put a cot in the zippered bike enclosure  JK

Why not take your bike in bed and keep it warm? In seriousness: they found out that the worst polluter of the air inside one's home is an inbuilt garage...

[Dos]

What exactly are these horror stories of leaving gas in the tank (peacock off) and carbs?

[Deltarider]

Probably stories told by people that are ashamed they were negligent and had their bikes standing for years and years unattended. Some owners choose to drain the floatbowls every year before hibernation. Over time they can expect dried out and deteriorated O-rings, in particular the little O-rings around the main jets and the O-rings around the T-joints. Leaving gas in the carbs for too long (years) isn't good either, so we face a dilemma. What works for me is: leave gas in the floatchambers, but drain them say every two months (gas can be poured in the tank again). Then with empty floatchambers and the big Idle Adjustment Screw turned a bit loose (to fully lower the carbslides), kick the engine a few times to suck the jets dry (I hope). Closing the chokes may help to create underpressure. Then open the petcock just to refill the floatchambers. This gives me the best result: no dried out O-rings and the gas in the floatchambers doesn't have time to become nasty. Tank is full ofcourse. There's no need to store the bike with ethanolfree gas as long as the tank is full. As a matter of fact, gas that contains ethanol has quite a buffer to absorb condens, where with ethanolfree gas, there's a risk of having a little pool of water building on the bottom of the tank. Only when fuel with ethanol is left too long opposed to air in a half filled tank and then with variations in temperatures, the absorbed water might reach a level that the fuel will start to separate. Only then it can become a problem. Bear in mind that the stabilizer products (additives) are usually nothing but... alcohol, because it absorbs condens so well. Isn't that ironic?

[zturb0]

Posters above, who ''leave the gas in the carbs''   

Is that alcohol free gas?

or the crappy, 10% corn gas ?

[Dos]

Yeah I don’t know because last year I put stabil in the tank, rode it around for alittle and then shut my petcock off and drained the carbs by just running it until the gas was used all up. But then come spring I found my petcock was leaking and my carbs were messed up and I had to reset the float height and it was a whole thing and I just don’t want that to happen again. Maybe I just put too much stabil?

Before that I didn’t know any better and just left the bike with gas in the tank and carbs and let it sit over the winter and it was fine.

[Deltarider]

But then come spring I found my petcock was leaking

Rubbers dried out and shrunk.

Before that I didn’t know any better and just left the bike with gas in the tank and carbs and let it sit over the winter and it was fine.

Yeah, you're probably right there. If hibernation does not last more than 6-7 months, you'll be fine, I guess. Before the first ride in spring, I would drain the floatbowls however (and pour the gas in the tank). What I described in reply #34, is maybe overdoing it, but, say every two months, I have to be there anyway, to charge the battery and activate the shocks a couple of times.